Myth: Liars Avoid Eye Contact
What's actually true: Eye contact is not a reliable sign of lying; most people catch lies only slightly better than chance.
Meta-analyses show gaze aversion is not linked to lying, though it is the most widely believed cue across countries.
What the research found
People everywhere believe liars look away. But studies of many cues found gaze was not a valid one. Nervous honest people look away too, and practised liars look you in the eye.
What to do instead
- Ignore eye contact as a lie test.
- Ask for details and check them.
- Look for facts that do not fit, not body signs.
- Use references and documents in hiring.
What to say
Can you tell me more about the dealer numbers in that region?
Who was your reporting manager there? I'll call them.
Avoid
Dropping a nervous candidate because they looked away.
Example
A candidate for a field role in Sangli avoided eye contact all interview. Mahesh checked his dealer references, which were excellent, and hired him. He topped his region.
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